Meteorite Glossary - Letter T

Tektite:

A natural glass object formed by the melting of native rocks during some asteroid impacts. Some tektites receive aerodynamic shapes as the still plastic but cooling glass falls back to the surface from very high altitude. Other tektite glass may be from a melt sheet formed near the impact site.

Troilite:

A common mineral found in all types of meteorites. Troilite is chemically FeS and is related to Pyrrhotite which is found on Earth. It is bronze in color and only 4.6 in hardness. Dissolvable in a nitric acid solution it will stain the surface of iron meteorites during etching making it easy to positively identify. Often found in association with graphite and schreibersite in iron meteorites.